Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoor has issued a public apology after a slip of tongue at a Dussehra celebration in Kolkata sparked a fierce debate online. The actor, who plays Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s much-awaited Ramayana: Part One, addressed the incident on Wednesday at the film’s grand musical event and full album launch in Chennai, where he admitted his mistake and quoted a line from his 2011 film Rockstar to make amends.
The gaffe happened on Tuesday at a Dussehra event in Kolkata, where Ranbir was speaking alongside the Ramayana team about the festival’s message. In a video that has since gone viral, the actor is heard saying, “Dussehra hume ek bahut khoobsurat baat yaad dilati hai ki burai chahe kitni bhi taqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein ant sachchai aur achchai ki hi hogi.”
The problem was one word. By saying “ant” (end) instead of “jeet” (victory), the sentence landed as “truth and goodness would ultimately perish”, the exact opposite of what Dussehra stands for. The internet did not let it slide.
What Ranbir said at the Chennai event
Taking the stage at the Chennai Trade Centre on Wednesday, Ranbir addressed the controversy head-on. “I want to apologise about an incident that happened yesterday while I was at a Dussehra event. I had a slip of the tongue,” he told the audience.
He then corrected himself: “What I was meant to say is, burai chahe kitni bhi taqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein jeet sachchai aur achchai ki hogi. No matter how powerful evil may be, truth and goodness will ultimately triumph.”
In a charming recovery, the actor reached for his own filmography to explain the goof-up. “This reminds me of a collaboration I had with Rahman sir in Rockstar,” he said. “I want to say, jo bhi main kehna chahu, barbaad kare alfaaz mere. So I truly apologise for that.”
The line, from the song “Jo Bhi Main” in the 2011 musical drama, drew smiles from the crowd. Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita and was seated beside him, was seen smiling as he addressed the incident.
Why the video went viral
The clip of the Kolkata speech spread rapidly on social media on Tuesday, and reactions were sharp. Several users pointed to the irony: an actor playing Lord Ram, the very embodiment of the triumph of good over evil, had ended up declaring that evil wins. Some went so far as to call him “miscast” for the role.
Others, however, came to his defence. Many pointed out that he acknowledged the mistake quickly and corrected himself on a big stage within a day. “We should be ashamed for this tbh, let the man breathe a little, he is exhausted,” one user wrote, while another commented that he sounded nervous during the apology.
The apology video from Chennai has since gone equally viral, with the Rockstar quote becoming the most-quoted moment of the day.
A hectic promotional tour
The controversy comes in the middle of an intense, city-hopping promotional campaign for Ramayana: Part One. The team was in Kolkata on Tuesday for the Dussehra event, where Ranbir described Ramayana as a story that connects all of us through love, through faith and through our culture. On Wednesday, the cast and crew moved to Chennai for the film’s grand musical event and full album launch.
The film, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and the eight-time Academy Award-winning VFX studio DNEG in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, stars Ranbir as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Sony Pictures will distribute the film globally. Ramayana: Part One is scheduled to release in theatres on November 5, 2026, timed for the Diwali season.
FAQs
What did Ranbir Kapoor say at the Dussehra event in Kolkata?
He mistakenly said “ant” (end) instead of “jeet” (victory) while speaking about Dussehra’s message, so his sentence suggested that truth and goodness would perish. He meant to say that goodness triumphs.
How did Ranbir Kapoor apologise?
At the Ramayana musical event in Chennai on October 21, he called it a slip of tongue, corrected his statement, and quoted the Rockstar song “Jo Bhi Main”: jo bhi main kehna chahu, barbaad kare alfaaz mere.
When does Ramayana: Part One release?
The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, is scheduled to release in theatres on November 5, 2026, during the Diwali season.
Who directs Ramayana: Part One?
Nitesh Tiwari directs the film, produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and DNEG in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. Sony Pictures will distribute it globally.
What was the reaction to the apology?
Mixed. Some netizens sympathised, calling him exhausted and nervous, while others had criticised the original gaffe, with a few questioning his casting as Lord Ram.
A single word turned a festive speech into a national talking point. Ranbir Kapoor owned it, corrected it, and even found a way to make the moment his own. With Ramayana: Part One heading for a Diwali release, the promotional tour marches on, one carefully chosen word at a time.
